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[[Category:Strategies for Program Chairpersons]][[Category:Luebking, Sandra Hargreaves]][[Category:Programs]]

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=Ten Seasonal Program Ideas=

=Ten Seasonal Program Ideas=

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by [[Luebking, Sandra Hargreaves|Sandra Hargreaves Luebking]]

==Introduction==

==Introduction==

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General membership meetings provide an

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General membership meetings provide an opportunity for societies to inform, entertain, and motivate members while attracting new members from those who are first-time visitors.

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opportunity for societies to inform, entertain, and

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motivate members while attracting new members

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Most societies find the business portion of the meeting is best concluded prior to scheduled activities or program. The business meeting should be kept to a strict minimum and attention should be paid to allowing enough time for the program portion of the meeting. If necessary, a business meeting can be interrupted for the

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from those who are first-time visitors.

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duration of the program and resumed at a later time or date.

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Most societies find the business portion of the

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meeting is best concluded prior to scheduled

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==Spring Ideas==

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activities or program. The business meeting

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should be kept to a strict minimum and attention

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Spring programs can address the coming vacation season, when researchers will be chasing ancestors far beyond their local area. Instructions on visiting courthouses, on interacting with records custodians, on note taking and abstracting, and on planning ahead, will help your members make the most from limited research time.

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should be paid to allowing enough time for the

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program portion of the meeting. If necessary, a

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===Idea #1: Courthouse Visit===

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business meeting can be interrupted for the

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duration of the program and resumed at a later

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Move the program to the courthouse for an evening or a Sunday. Negotiations with county clerks might open the door to a "members' only session" at which a county representative discusses general record keeping principles and locations of oft-used materials. Follow this with a society member who gives a brief introduction to specific records — from a researcher's view. Then allow time for members to use the records.

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time or date.

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SPRING IDEAS

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<i>NOTE: It is a good idea to limit attendance at this program to members only as your society will be responsible for their actions in the courthouse and in the use of records. The signing of a code of ethics statement, required for membership in many societies, identifies members who are committed to the preservation and conscientious use of records.</i>

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Spring programs can address the coming

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vacation season, when researchers will be

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===Idea #2: Research Trip Planning===

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chasing ancestors far beyond their local area.

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Instructions on visiting courthouses, on

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Spring is also the season for a serious discussion of the courtesies and formalities necessary to conduct research in records repositories: appropriate dress; calling or writing ahead for directions and procedural information; studying a guide to the collection you intend to use; limiting what you carry into the repository; copy-right restrictions; etc. Intersperse the practical with the frivolous — how to pack "wrinkle-free"; easy-care haircuts for men and women on the go; clothes and equipment for cemetery hunts, etc. The light-hearted approach to these latter subjects will make members more receptive to the "serious stuff" — especially the concept that researchers leave behind a legacy in the repositories they visit — a legacy from which the next researcher will benefit or suffer.

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interacting with records custodians, on note

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taking and abstracting, and on planning ahead,

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===Idea #3: A New Look At Land Records

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will help your members make the most from

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limited research time.

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Since nearly 90% of American, white males owned land at some point in their lives, the tracing of land is critically important to genealogists. Help members understand the different types of land records and what important clues can be located in them. A program which details not only the types of deeds, but helps members recognize the methods by which family members transferred land title, can be very important. Maps can add flavor to the program and the speaker can be asked to demonstrate how to locate a piece of property on a map which illustrates section, township and range.

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IDEA # 1: COURTHOUSE VISIT —

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Move the program to the courthouse for an

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evening or a Sunday. Negotiations with county

+

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clerks might open the door to a "members' only

+

−

session" at which a county representative

+

−

discusses general record keeping principles and

+

−

locations of oft-used materials. Follow this with

+

−

a society member who gives a brief introduction

+

−

to specific records — from a researcher's view.

+

−

Then allow time for members to use the records.

+

−

NOTE: It is a good idea to limit attendance at

+

−

this program to members only as your society

+

−

will be responsible for their actions in the

+

−

courthouse and in the use of records. The signing

+

−

of a code of ethics statement, required for

+

−

membership in many societies, identifies

+

−

members who are committed to the preservation

+

−

and conscientious use of records.

+

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IDEA # 2: RESEARCH TRIP PLANNING

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Spring is also the season for a serious discussion

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of the courtesies and formalities necessary to

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conduct research in records repositories:

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appropriate dress; calling or writing ahead for

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directions and procedural information; studying

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a guide to the collection you intend to use;

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limiting what you carry into the repository;�

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Ten Seasonal Program Ideas

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Page 2 FGS Society Strategies, Set 6 Number 1

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copy-right restrictions; etc. Intersperse the

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practical with the frivolous — how to pack

+

−

"wrinkle-free"; easy-care haircuts for men and

+

−

women on the go; clothes and equipment for

+

−

cemetery hunts, etc. The light-hearted approach

+

−

to these latter subjects will make members more

+

−

receptive to the "serious stuff" — especially the

+

−

concept that researchers leave behind a legacy in

+

−

the repositories they visit — a legacy from which

+

−

the next researcher will benefit or suffer.

+

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IDEA # 3: A NEW LOOK AT LAND

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RECORDS — Since nearly 90% of American,

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white males owned land at some point in their

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lives, the tracing of land is critically important to

+

−

genealogists. Help members understand the

+

−

different types of land records and what

+

−

important clues can be located in them.

+

−

A program which details not only the types of

+

−

deeds, but helps members recognize the methods

+

−

by which family members transferred land title,

+

−

can be very important. Maps can add flavor to

+

−

the program and the speaker can be asked to

+

−

demonstrate how to locate a piece of property on

+

−

a map which illustrates section, township and

+

−

range.

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IDEA # 4: GETTING ORGANIZED —

IDEA # 4: GETTING ORGANIZED —

Spring is a great time to do housekeeping chores.

Spring is a great time to do housekeeping chores.

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some of the best potential speakers are within

some of the best potential speakers are within

the society itself.

the society itself.

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[[Category:Strategies for Program Chairpersons]][[Category:Luebking]][[Category:Programs]]